Iotis receives 2.15 million euros

The start-up has set out to digitize ball sports. After soccer, golf and table tennis are now to follow.

The Hanover-based sports start-up Iotis has received 2.15 million euros in its seed financing round. The IT group Adesso, the sports technology specialist Riedel Communications, the Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (MBG) and the Hannover Beteiligungsfonds (HBF) invested. Among other things, Iotis has set itself the goal of sustainably digitizing ball sports.

The start-up is now to benefit from the professional experience and international sports networks of the investors. Iotis plans to focus on product development and expanding its team in the coming months. In addition to the founding team, entrepreneur Marcel Isakowitz and new technical director Peter Blank are now working at Iotis.

"I firmly believe that digitalization in sports still needs to mature and grow on all levels," says investor Thomas Riedel of Riedel Communications. "This is where Iotis offers a strong solution." Michael Retzki of Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (MBG), referring to the location, says: "We are happy to see that Hannover is increasingly becoming a sports technology center."

Iotis was founded by Christian Sist and Lennardt Hachmeister together with angel investor and former German national soccer player Fabian Ernst. The company's first product is a smart soccer ball that can be connected to a training app. Products for other ball sports such as golf or table tennis are planned. To this end, the company is developing sensor technology and algorithms that form the basis of a training platform.